The invention is directed to editing and inserting data into an electronic document, such as an electronic mail message. More specifically, the present invention allows a user to create, edit, and insert electronic mail signatures into electronic mail messages during composition of electronic mail messages.
Electronic mail, or xe2x80x9ce-mail,xe2x80x9d is becoming an increasingly common method of communication in today""s computerized world. Messages are sent between coworkers, employers and employees, relatives, friends, and so on. A common element of an e-mail message is the xe2x80x9csignature fragmentxe2x80x9d, which typically comprises text and/or graphical data, such as a set of text lines that follow a user""s name at the close of a message.
The signature fragment is used for various purposes, ranging from communicating business or contact information to humorous comments. Many times, a user of an electronic mail editing application will wish to have two different signature fragments, one for new messages and one for reply messages. For example, it is often desirable to have a complete listing of one""s business contact information, including name, address, and telephone number, in the first electronic mail message sent to a client or associate. A recipient may then obtain all necessary information regarding a sender from a single message. However, including this same amount of information in every reply message received from the original recipient only increases the length of the message and the bandwidth required to deliver or retrieve the message. Instead, an abbreviated signature fragment may be desired for a reply message, such as the sender""s initials.
A signature file appropriate for one electronic mail message may not be equally applicable in another. For example, an electronic mail message sent to a family member may include the signature, xe2x80x9cHugs and kisses,xe2x80x9d which would be inappropriate for a business e-mail. The prior art allows a user to create an e-mail signature fragment, but also requires that the electronic mail signature be specified prior to the creation of the message. That is, the same electronic mail signature fragment is inserted into each and every electronic mail message created by a user. This is cumbersome for a user that realizes his signature file is inappropriate for the recipient of the message currently being composed. A user who wishes to change an electronic mail signature fragment must delete the existing signature fragment, then retype a new one. This imposes a burden on the user and consumes additional time that may be devoted to more productive tasks.
Consequently, there is a need for determining whether an electronic mail message is a new message or a reply message and inserting an electronic mail signature fragment of the appropriate type into the message. There is a further need for an application that allows for a signature fragment to be replaced by another signature fragment selected from a list of signature fragments presented to the user during composition of an electronic mail message. These and other needs are addressed by the present invention.
The present invention supports the automated insertion of data into an electronic document based on an identifying characteristic of the electronic document. For the representative example of a electronic mail message, the present invention supports the insertion of an electronic mail signature fragment into an electronic mail message based on the context of the electronic mail message. If the electronic mail message represents a reply to a received message, then a signature fragment assigned to reply-type messages is inserted without manual intervention in a predetermined location within the electronic mail message. Alternatively, if the electronic mail message represents a newly composed message, then a signature fragment assigned to new-type messages is inserted without manual intervention into the predetermined location within the electronic mail message. The present invention also can support the automated insertion of a particular signature fragment within the electronic mail message based on the identity of the designated recipient for the message.
In general, the present invention can insert one of multiple signature fragments into a electronic mail message, typically at the close of the message, in response to identifying the context or type of the message. Based on this determination of the message type, a data set, such as a data string representing one of the signature fragments, is selected for insertion into the message. In turn, this data string can be inserted at a predetermined location within the message to complete an initial composition of the message.
The present invention supports the selection of a signature fragment and the subsequent insertion of that selected signature fragment in response to accessing an array of signature fragments during the composition of an electronic mail message. An original signature fragment can be inserted into the message during the initial composition of the message, typically based on the context of that message. If the user decides that this original signature fragment is not a desired signature fragment, then the user can use an input device, such as a mouse or pointing device, to generate a first input signal while a position indicator, such as a cursor, is positioned proximate to the original signature fragment. In response to this first input signal, the array of signature fragments is accessed and presented to the user as a list of signature fragments. The user can select one of the signature fragments from this list by using the input device to issue another input signal. This selection of one of the listed signature fragments results in the insertion of the selected signature fragment in place of the original signature fragment within the message. In this manner, a user may change electronic mail signatures xe2x80x9con the flyxe2x80x9d when composing an electronic mail message.
More particularly described, a user can assign xe2x80x9cdefaultxe2x80x9d signature fragments to typical types of electronic mail messages, such as reply messages and xe2x80x9cnewxe2x80x9d messages. For example, the user may specify a particular signature fragment for each of the message types. In the alternative, the user has the flexibility of assigning the same signature fragment to both message types. When a user composes a new electronic mail message, the default signature fragment assigned to a new-type message is inserted without manual intervention into the message. Similarly, when a user replies to a received electronic mail, the default signature fragment assigned to a reply-type message is automatically inserted into the message. This insertion of the appropriate default signature fragment is completed in response to identifying the message type for the electronic message. For one aspect of the invention, unique identifiers for these new and reply default signature fragments can be stored in the registry of Microsoft""s xe2x80x9cWINDOWSxe2x80x9d operating system so that they may be easily accessed by any document or program that is programmed to look in the registry for these keys.
A user can be presented with an option of changing the presently displayed signature fragment during composition of an electronic mail message. This edit capability is typically indicated to the user by displaying a xe2x80x9ctool tipxe2x80x9d when the position indicator is placed proximate to this signature fragment. A tool tip refers to an automated function that typically displays helpful text defining instructions for a possible user action or event. Activation of a tool tip can be completed by examining the electronic mail message for specific styles, such as an Email Signature style, associated with certain positions within the message. As an example, when a position indicator hovers over a signature fragment of the electronic mail message, styles associated with the signature are detected. This prompts the issuance of a representative tool tip: xe2x80x9cClick the right mouse button to insert an e-mail signature.xe2x80x9d In turn, when the user clicks the right mouse button, a list of possible electronic mail signature fragments, called a signature context menu, is displayed on the display screen. A user can select a signature fragment from this list for insertion into the message, thereby replacing the original signature fragment with the selected signature fragment. This selected signature fragment is automatically inserted into the message, in place of the original signature fragment, by scanning the message text for field delimiters, and replacing all text between the delimiters with the selected signature text.
The signature fragments of the signature context list can be created by a user through the use of an electronic mail editing application. For example, signature creation and editing can be completed with Microsoft""s xe2x80x9cWORDxe2x80x9d word processing program. As each signature fragment is created, it can be stored in the AutoTextList under a specific AutoText name. The AutoText name indexes the various signatures and allows the user to easily recognize the content of each signature. A newly created signature fragment can be identified by the user as a default signature for a selected type of electronic mail message, such a default new or reply signature fragment.
The present invention also can support the linking of signature files and recipients. That is, when a particular recipient is specified for an electronic mail message, a signature designated for that recipient will be inserted into the body of the message rather than the default new or reply signature fragments. This allows for greater personalization of e-mail messages without the expenditure of additional effort by the user. To support this feature of the invention, a table of all previous recipients, called the association list, can be maintained within memory; this table typically comprises a set of entries, a unique recipient identifier and the electronic mail signature fragment associated with that recipient.
For example, in response to creating the electronic mail message addressed to a particular recipient, the association list is searched for the recipient""s identifier. In the event that this table contains an entry for the recipient""s identifier, the corresponding electronic mail signature is inserted into the electronic mail message at a predetermined location In the event that the recipients list does not include an entry corresponding to the recipient of the message and, if a non-default signature fragment is chosen for that recipient, then a new table entry can be created for that recipient.
To enhance performance of this function, the number of names or identifiers in the association list is typically limited to a manageable number. The association list can be chronologically organized; as a name is used, that name is moved to the top of the list. This ensures that the most recent e-mail recipients stay near the top of the association list. If the list grows too long, then it is automatically pruned from the bottom up until it reaches a manageable size. Therefore, when auto-pruning takes place, the oldest names are culled first. If multiple recipients are listed, then the default signature is used. If this signature is changed, the new signature is not associated with all recipients, but instead maintains any previous associations. However, if there is a single entry in the xe2x80x9cToxe2x80x9d field and multiple xe2x80x9cCCxe2x80x9d entries, then the association will be changed with respect to the entry in the xe2x80x9cToxe2x80x9d field only. Similarly, when composing a message with multiple xe2x80x9cCCxe2x80x9d recipients and a single xe2x80x9cToxe2x80x9d recipient, the signature associated with the xe2x80x9cToxe2x80x9d recipient will be used.
These and other advantages of the invention will become apparent when reading the specification, taken in conjunction with the claims.